One month ago on August 4th, thousands of lives changed after a sudden fatal explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. Spanning a radius of 150 miles, more than 170 people died, thousands were injured, and about 300,000 people were left homeless. Noor Hachem, AHS junior and her brother Mohamed Ali, AHS freshman, quickly took action and started a donation drive here in South Florida to gather much-needed supplies and deliver them to the victims in Beirut.

According to Noor, a former resident of Beirut, the blast victims “lost people dear to them and their homes and are struggling to survive.” She adds that ongoing inflation, which began before the explosion, has made the struggle worse. A shortage of food along with understaffed, undersupplied hospitals prompted Noor to help. 

She has spent over 200 hours collecting, organizing, and packing used shoes, non-perishable food, water, blankets, toiletries, and hygiene supplies to fill a container that will be shipped to Beirut on September 20th. Noor, Mohamed Ali, and their friend Ryan will travel to Beirut to distribute the supplies after the container arrives. 

Lalla Asmaa Alaoui Hachem, Noor and Mohamed’s mother, says she is “very proud and honored [the children] have initiated this fundraising effort to support their fathers’ country and their heritage.” She hopes they will continue their efforts to help others rise from calamity and rebuild their lives.   

Noor’s donation drive will continue until September 18th. She created a “Beirut Relief Wish List” on Amazon and is hoping if everyone can contribute a little bit then many people can get the help they need and lives can be saved.

Photos Found HERE